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It’s perfectly normal for australian shepherds to get scared of loud noises or quick movements, but when your aussie is scared of seemingly everything, it can be concerning.
Is it normal for australian shepherds to be scared of everything or is something wrong?
Why Is My Australian Shepherd Scared Of Everything:
Australian shepherds will be scared of everything for harmless reasons like their age, when they go through a big environment change or they’ve unintentionally been trained to act this way. More serious reasons are they’re in pain or because they’ve been through a traumatic experience.
In this post you’ll discover:
- 8 reasons why your australian shepherd is scared of everything
- When it’s something to be concerned about
- 5 tips to help your australian shepherd not be scared of everything (Tip #4 is super important!)
- And much more
Let’s jump right in.
Table of Contents
8 Real Reasons Why Your Australian Shepherd Is Scared Of Everything
1) Age
Puppies and young dogs can go through two different ‘fear phases’.
Which means your aussie might simply be in a phase of their life where they’re afraid of more things than they’re not.
From 8-12 weeks is the first period of life that many dogs have a phase of being afraid of everything.
This is because everything is new to them and they’re trying to make sense of the world.
Is this thing something I should be afraid of or am I safe to be around it?
Once they reach 12 weeks they should have a good understanding of most things and stop being as afraid.
The second phase where your australian shepherd may again become scared of everything is when they reach 6-14 months of age.
During this time they’re going through major growth spurts and experiencing many new feelings and situations.
Their hormones are changing rapidly and may or may not have been neutered or spayed yet.
If your aussie is in the age ranges described rest assured it is common and they’ll grow out of it.
The best thing you can do to help them is be a calm, confident example to them and show them everything is okay.
Related Reading: 7 Ways To Eliminate Your Dogs Anxiety, Shyness Or Fear
2) Environmental Change
Big changes to your australian shepherd’s environment can cause them to feel very uneasy.
Aussies thrive with structure and routine and if the daily environment they’re used to changes suddenly, it can make them much more anxious/stressed.
Some common changes that may cause your aussie to be scared of everything are:
- Moving to a new house
- Having guests over for the first time
- Introducing a new family member or pet
- A change in their daily schedule
If you’re expecting any big changes in your life, try and prepare your pup for it as much as possible.
If you’re moving, take your aussie for walks around the new house and yard.
Introduce them to any new pets before they come over and let them explore the house.
Be consistent with their routine as much as possible and try to make the changes gradual instead of all at once.
Related Reading: Australian Shepherd Anxiety: Symptoms, Causes & Solutions
3) Unintentionally Encouraged The Behavior
Many people are surprised to know that they may be unintentionally encouraging their australian shepherd to be scared of everything.
It sounds like crazy talk but the key word is unintentionally.
How you’re responding to your aussie when they act afraid could be the exact reason why they act scared of everything.
If your aussie is barking and cowering away from something and you’re giving them attention, love, or treats to get them to stop, you’re reinforcing the behavior.
The same goes for if you’re punishing or scolding them for being scared.
You might be thinking “well then what do I do?”
The best thing you can do is to ignore the behavior altogether.
Don’t give them any attention, love, or treats and don’t punish them either.
If you respond in any way, you’re reinforcing the behavior whether you mean to or not.
Think about it from your aussie’s perspective, if they bark and cower away from something and get lots of attention from you, they’re going to think that being scared is the right thing to do.
If you completely ignore them, after a while they’ll stop barking and cowering away because it’s not getting them any attention.
Of course this is only for things that they really don’t need to be scared of.
4) Emotional Dependence
Many australian shepherds become emotionally dependent on their owners and this can lead to them being scared of everything.
An emotionally dependent aussie is one that looks to their owner for reassurance in every situation.
They’re constantly seeking approval and attention and get very anxious when they’re away from their owner.
This kind of dependence can be caused by a lack of early socialization, improper training, or just overall clinginess.
If your aussie is emotionally dependent on you, the best thing you can do is try and slowly wean them off you.
You can start doing this by leaving them alone for shorter periods of time and gradually increase the amount of time you’re away from them.
Related Reading: Are Australian Shepherds High Maintenance? (Explained!)
5) They’re In Pain
Another reason your australian shepherd may be scared of everything is because they’re in pain.
If your aussie is in any sort of pain they’ll feel much more vulnerable and scared of environments/situations they’re normally fine in.
Some common injuries/ailments that may cause your aussie to be scared of everything are:
- Arthritis
- Hip dysplasia
- Back problems
- Cuts/Flesh wounds
If you suspect your aussie may be in pain, the best thing to do is take them to the vet for a check-up.
Related Reading: Top 8 Best Beds For Australian Shepherds
6) Traumatic Experience
If your australian shepherd has experienced a traumatic event in their life, it’s likely they’ll be scared of any situations that remind them of those events.
Traumatic events can range from being attacked by another dog, abuse, to being in a car accident.
Any experience that leaves your aussie feeling scared, helpless, or vulnerable can cause them to be scared of many things.
The best thing you can do for a traumatized aussie is to try and help them feel safe again.
This may mean getting them professional help from a dog behaviorist or taking things slow and gradually introducing them to similar situations.
7) Lack Of Socialization
If your australian shepherd hasn’t been properly socialized, they’re more likely to be scared of everything.
Socialization is the process of exposing a dog to as many different people, animals, and environments as possible.
It’s important for puppies but it’s also important for adult dogs.
Socializing them helps them learn how to behave in unfamiliar situations and helps them not develop undesirable behavior.
Like being overprotective of you, territorial, jealous and being overly afraid.
8) Genetics
Unfortunately, some australian shepherds are just born scared of everything.
It’s not known for sure why but it’s thought to be because they were born from an anxious mother which increases the likelihood they themselves are fearful.
There’s not much you can do about this other than to try and reassure them as much as possible.
Make sure they have a safe place to retreat to when they’re feeling overwhelmed and always praise your aussie when they display bravery.
5 Tips To Help Your Australian Shepherd Not Be Scared Of Everything
1) Increase Exposure
The more your aussie is exposed to different environments and situations, the less scared they’ll be.
Start by slowly introducing them to new environments and gradually increase the amount of exposure they get.
If you have friends or family who own animals, take your aussie over to their house for a visit.
Or if there’s a park near you, take them there for a walk.
It’s a good idea to help them overcome their fear of things by exposing them to the specific things that frighten them.
In a slow, controlled manner of course.
But overtime, when they spend more time in the situation they’re initially afraid of, they’ll learn there’s nothing to be scared of.
2) More Exercise
Sometimes an australian shepherd is scared of everything because they have too much pent up energy that shows up as nervous energy.
When you give them more daily physical activity they’re less likely to have a build up of energy that causes them to constantly be nervous.
This can be in the form of a long walk or jog, playing fetch in the yard, or going to a dog park.
Just make sure your aussie is getting enough exercise, at least 60 minutes per day.
If they’re not getting enough exercise it can lead to behavior problems and an increase in fearfulness.
3) Band-Aids
There are a number of different things you can do to mask their fear.
The reason I call them band-aids is because they can be great in the moment, but they don’t address the root cause of why your australian shepherd is scared of everything.
So these things can be used to help, but they shouldn’t be relied on entirely.
Always work to help your aussie overcome their fears so they can live a happier, healthier life.
With that being said, those things are thundershirts, calming music, letting them snuggle with an article of clothing you’ve worn recently, or CBD oil.
Click here to check out one of the better thundershirts available on amazon.
There are also calming treats you can give them that contain ingredients like chamomile or lavender.
Helopssa has one of the best calming treats on amazon. Click here to check them out.
4) Socialization
As I mentioned before, socialization is key in helping your australian shepherd not be scared of everything.
Make sure they’re being exposed to as many different people, animals and environments as possible.
But do it in a slow, controlled manner so they don’t get overwhelmed.
Doing this while they’re a puppy between the age of 2-12 months is the best time to do this.
But if they’re an adult and didn’t socialize when young, it’s still important to do.
It will likely just take longer for them to get comfortable as they’ll have some bad habits they need to unlearn.
And always remember to praise them when they display bravery in unfamiliar situations.
5) Vet Check-In
If your aussie is scared of everything and nothing seems to be helping, it’s always a good idea to take them in for a vet check-up.
There could be an underlying medical condition causing their fearfulness and the only way to know for sure is to have them seen by a professional.
Other posts you might find interesting:
12 Best Harnesses for Australian Shepherds
9 Reasons Australian Shepherds Won’t Eat + 6 Helpful Tips
Top Reasons Australian Shepherds Herd You + How To Stop It
9 Reasons Why Australian Shepherds Are Lazy + Tips To Help
Sources:
Why Is my Dog Suddenly Afraid of Everything